


I Know You, You Know Me. I Think.

by FlaresGolden



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with mostly happy endings, But a sweet innocent idiot OwO, Conner apparently likes danger, Connor is like a son to him, Fluff, Gen, Hank can be a great father UwU, Hank can’t believe how much of an idiot his android is, Hank is Protective, Head first into flying bullets ftw, but he’s a big ol grump, family bonds, trust building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-04 10:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17302751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlaresGolden/pseuds/FlaresGolden
Summary: A collection of one-shots between our favorite detective duo Hank and Connor.Aka Connor yeets into danger like nobody’s business, Hank loves his robo son boi but damn is he rash, and problems pop up like a weasel.But at least it’ll be better if they’re by one another’s side.Together, maybe they’ll learn how to adjust and grow.





	1. Stubborn Trauma

Quickly, his dark brown eyes scanned the area as he peeked around the crates. Time moved slower. The noise lessened. The group of deviants seemed to have the upper hand; the higher ground and their bigger numbers, despite it only being a small group. The moon shone above, the sky starless. The streets of Detroit were empty, besides the two currently quarreling sides of humans and androids.

 

They had just raided an android-selling store, it would seem, as the windows to that particular place had been smashed, and the androids that had once been placed on pedestals were now aiming guns their way.

 

Their protesting seemed to be turning into a rather violent one.

 

The sounds perked back up, time now as fast as it normally would be.

 

“Our chances of capturing them are lessening each second, Lieutenant.” Connor observed. “I have to intervene; find the leader of this particular protest before the DPD kill it, at least.”

 

“Like hell, you fuckin’ robot.” Snapped Hank back at him. “Go out there and either the DPD or those androids will smother your insides all over the ground with those guns.”

 

As if proving a point, a bullet fired and flew past Connor, almost grazing his arm. Hastily, Hank pulled him further behind the crate’s protection.

 

“The mission.” Conner piped, monotoned. “I need to get somewhere.”

 

“Another time, okay?” Hissed the man. “This is a lost cause. We’re better off stayin’ put, got it? Don’t do anythin’ stupid, you hear me?”

 

Another chorus of bullets rang through the streets, and several bodies hit the ground. Connor risked to look, quickly noting the newly limp bodies of four of the deviants, and two of the officers.

 

“Call for backup.” Hank huffed, and Conner’s L.E.D light flashed yellow before returning to its standard blue. “That has been done, Lieutenant.”

 

The shouting continued. Quickly, the numbers of the deviants decreased, but at the cost of multiple cops’ lives. Conner frowned. “I have to retrieve one of them. We need the information it has, or else we may fail the mission. Forty-six percent of success if I go.”

 

“Forty-six ain’t enough! It’s not worth it, asshole, stay put.”

 

“Forty-three percent now. I have to move quickly.” The android stood, and Hank hissed an inhuman sound at him. “Conner-!” But he was already sprinting across the road.

 

Confusion spurred, wondering which side he was on, but in the end he ended up being aimed at by both sides. The bullets whizzed past with quick whistles, but that was okay, because Conner seemed to get past their shots. Now, the prototype reached for the closest deviant; seemingly-female, unarmed. He grasped its arm and his artificial skin faltered into a smooth, shiny plastic, and he connected to its mind.

 

There was metal. A lot of mental- and a lot of rust. “Jericho” it said, but nothing else. Conner pried what he could. Markus. Who? Their leader, perhaps? There, its eyes; one green the other blue. Dark skinned. No-

 

Abruptly, something roared in his ear. A bang? Strange. It seemed awfully close. Something overwhelming exploded at the nook of his neck; where his throat and shoulder met, and from there it was quiet. Slow. And then another strange, uncomfortable sensation flared in his head; something so... ferocious and odd and... scary.

 

Scared. Him? Was he scared? He was. He was scared as he felt something tearing away from him; something he felt was vital.

 

And then it was gone.

 

Connor’s eyes flew open, chocolate irises flicking back and forth in surprise. It was quiet. Surprise? It was fear. Confusion? Maybe that too.

 

His chest heaved, which was unnatural, as androids never seem to breathe like that, but he couldn’t find himself to care. What... what was that? Slowly, his gaze traveled down to his feet, where the android he had used lie still; a bullet having gone right through its forehead. Limp. Deactivated?

 

Dead.

 

Oh.

 

Carefully, his hand reached to the side of his neck, gingerly trailing the damaged place. It was slick, and when Conner returned his fingers to his line of sight to discover why, thick, sticky blue thirium met his gaze.

 

And it... hurt... so, so much...

 

Oh...

 

And then the noises shot back into his head like a bullet.

 

_System_ _Error._

 

Guns still rang and lingered and flared and the screaming was as loud as ever- and was that Hank? Had he been shot?

 

_Damage detected. Running scan now._

 

_Thirty percent completed._

 

No, hopefully he hadn’t.

 

_Scan failed. Disturbance detected._

_Running again._

 

But bodies- androids- were falling before Conner, several at a time, as limp as rag dolls, as lifeless as humanity deemed them to be.

 

_Mild damage on neck, right hip, and left calf._

_Mild loss of thirium. Forty percent chance of increasing loss._

 

He should move. He should move, right?

 

_Eighty-nine percent chance of status worsening._

 

Something stopped him. Something so damn simple and frustrating but so justified.

 

He was terrified. Utterly traumatized. In shock. For himself? For the android? He didn’t know. What Conner did know was that he couldn’t move; but he couldn’t seem to care.

 

_Warning: Stress level ninety-four percent._

_Initiate self-destruct?_

 

His L.E.D light was flashing red. More sirens wailed in the distance. No. No self-destruct.

 

_Self-destruct command overridden._

_Stress level ninety-six percent._

_Emergency rest mode initiated._

 

“Connor!”

 

——

 

Connor woke up quietly. Wordlessly. Soundlessly. He didn’t want to open his eyes; but he supposed he had to.

 

He needed to complete the mission as fast as possible, anyways. Whatever happened before shouldn’t effect the pace of the mission.

 

It shouldn’t.

 

Right?

 

The android’s eyelids flickered open, and his dark brown gaze swept across the room. Oh, he was at Hank’s place. Had the mission gone downhill when he had temporarily shut off, or had the humans completed it?

 

Well, Conner did get that information from the female— the  _android_. Jericho. What could that be? And Markus... at least he’d know who to—

 

A wave of pain went through his head, and the android detective groaned.

 

His thoughts silenced, and Conner placed a timid hand on his forehead almost painfully. He was... tired...

 

He was not human. He couldn’t become tired.

 

He couldn’t.

 

He couldn’t feel pain, he couldn’t have empathy.

 

He was a machine.

 

Machines... don’t feel anything. Their purpose is to fulfill the tasks humans bring upon it.

 

He was a machine...

 

Connor swung himself to a sit, and instantly regretted it. His hip replied with a spike of uncomfortable... pain? No, it shouldn’t be pain. It was merely just a little bit of discomfort. Another groan from the android, and he slowly sunk back into the slightly-better comfort of the couch.

 

...An exhausted and hurt machine.


	2. Sides of a Snowflake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place after the revolution.
> 
> This chapter is also inspired by CipherSnail’s art on DeviantArt, which hopefully the link will durect you to; https://www.deviantart.com/ciphersnail/art/A-change-of-heart-775495956 
> 
> If the link doesn’t work, please check out their art. I promise it won’t be disappointing ^-^ 
> 
> Thank you for giving me permission.

Humans loved snow.

 

They enjoyed playing in it and marking strange angelic figures into the purely-white concoction. They enjoyed rolling them into balls. To throw them at their friends and family and when the snowballs made contact it would break apart into powder.

 

Androids, too. Most seemed to favor the strange, frozen water.

 

But Connor couldn’t... see the appeal.

 

“It’s supposed to be fun.” Hank had explained once, not-too-long ago, when Connor had questioned their behavior. “They think it’s fun so why not. Nothin’s wrong with it. People do it all the time.”

 

Connor provided him a small nod of understanding, even though he was still rather perplexed.

 

Yes, people loved the snow. Androids loved the snow. Okay. He understood that.

 

But he himself didn’t love the snow. He didn’t share the same fondness and fascination in the activity of it.

 

Was that okay if that was the case? It didn’t single him out, did it?

 

It was fine that he didn’t like the snow, right?

 

Now, Connor’s chocolate brown eyes carefully observed the gentle-falling snow from one of the many windows in Hank’s house. It was night, the sky more of a navy blue than absolute blackness, as far as the android could tell. The cool atmosphere prevented any sightings of stars.

 

The snow... the freezing cold... it frightened the android. It scared him.

 

Amanda...

 

That moment, in his mind palace, where the snow blew so ferociously. Where the flakes stung his eyes and blurred his vision. Where the cold clenched his insides with terror and where he thought he would deactivate.

 

Where he thought he would die.

 

Right there in his mind palace.

 

Right there when he recalled the moment where he felt true isolation from the world. From any living being. He was alone then.

 

He was alone in the murderous snow, frightened for his dear life, and frightened for other’s too. Frightened about thinking about the amount of his own kind he’d kill when his hold over his body spiraled out of control. He would be manipulated. He would be used. He would be a machine sent by Cyberlife, nothing more.

 

All while he died quietly in his frozen grave.

 

But that hadn’t happened, had it? He lived. He regained control.

 

But at the cost of a scarring. And a deep, withering fear around snow itself.

 

But that was fine. He didn’t have to like the snow.

 

No, he didn’t want to be reminded of the times when he had just been another robot to be played like a pawn.

 

“-onner.”

 

Conner startled the slightest bit, craning his neck to meet eyes with the man behind him. “You’re up late, Lieutenant.” The deviant observed, and Hank snorted.

 

“It’s Hank.” The aging detective corrected gruffly, casually strolling to the android’s side. “The streets’ll be covered in snow tomorrow, that’s for fuckin’ sure.” Hank commented as he stared outside the window. Subtly, Conner peered at the man from the corner of his eye as Hank brought a bottle of beer to his lips and took a sip.

 

“What’s on your mind, kid?”

 

The android gave a small shake of his head. “Nothing, Lieutenant. I was just watching the snow fall.”

 

“Nooo, I see your L.E.D light doin’ the little spin-y thing-y.” The officer countered, briefly pointing a finger to Conner’s L.E.D light. “In case your robo-whatevers haven’t noticed, it’s yellow.”

 

For a brief moment in Conner’s surprise, the light flickered a quick, alarming red before returning to the yellow hue. “It’s just the snow, Lieutenant, no need to worry. I’m processing information about it.” He explained on the spot, refusing to make eye contact with the other man. It was clear that Hank didn’t quite believe him.

 

“Okay, kid.” He shrugged before taking another swing of the bottle.

 

The two stood in a small silence before Hank spoke up once more.

 

“Let’s take a look outside. Check out the snow. It’ll be fun.” He offered, shrugging nonchalantly, though his steely eyes seemed to be keen, studying Connor for any off-putting reactions.

 

The android shook his head. “No thank you, Lieutenant.”

 

A frown rested on the officer’s face as he nodded mutely, the bottle reaching his mouth once more. “Why not?”

 

“It’s nothing personal.” Connor continued, giving the other man a small smile. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant. I just don’t see it as appropriate to go outside at this particular time, especially since you should be sleeping.”

 

Hank decided not to bring up the fact that Connor was now a deviant, thus occasionally requiring sleep as well.

 

“Eh, don’t worry about that.” Waved off Hank, placing down the empty beer bottle on the windowsill. “It’s fine. Let’s go outside; get your coat on.”

 

Connor grimaced as Hank moved away from his side, going to pick up and put on his own winter coat. “Lieutenant,” the android tried again. “I don’t exactly wish to go outside, I’m sorry.”

 

“You’re coming outside anyways.”

 

“Lieutenant-“

 

“Shut up, Conner.” Hank grumbled, rolling his eyes at his detective partner. The aging man tossed Conner’s jacket his way. “It’ll only be for five minutes. No more, no less. I need a little fresh air anyways.”

 

Nervously, Conner’s eyes flickered around Hank’s before letting out a silent sigh. “Okay, Lieutenant.” He murmured, putting on his coat. “I’m coming.”

 

When Connor got to the doorframe, he could see Hank standing out in the snow, head tilted up to look at the flakes falling. Curiously, Connor mimicked this action, observing how it fell.

 

“What are you waiting for?” Hank piped up, taking Connor away from his observations. “Get out here; I didn’t invite you just so you could watch from inside.”

 

A gulp from the android, and the brunette carefully placed his foot on the white substance. It let out a strange, dull crunch as he did, and Connor timidly placed his other foot on the snow. He glanced up at his mentor, and Hank waved him closer. Another sigh, and Connor strutted to the investigator’s side, uncertainly glancing around.

 

“It’s beautiful, right, Connor?” Hank questioned, and Connor’s answer was immediate.

 

“Yes, Lieutenant.”

 

Hank rose a brow at the android. “Is that so? I feel like you’re lying to me.”

 

Connor shrugged helplessly, sweeping his gaze across the winter wonderland once more. “It’s okay, Lieutenant.”

 

A silence settled between them, and Connor glanced down at his feet, then took a look behind his back, where he and Hank had exited the house. Their footprints were clear, though being replaced by the falling snow. Another look at the sky, and Connor felt himself... relaxing.

 

It wasn’t as bad as that moment in the Zen Garden. It simply wasn’t.

 

The wind was gentle, almost caressing his face, and the snow didn’t blind him. It was calm. It was quiet. It was cold.

 

But Hank was right there with him, so he wasn’t alone.

 

So it wasn’t... that cold.

 

No, his skin still felt the coolness of the weather, but inside he was... mushy? Happy? Relaxed? Warm?

 

Fascinated. He was fascinated by the snow and how it fell in careful, delicate specks. The cold nipped at him but it didn’t hurt. It was an interesting sensation... a new one.

 

An exciting one.

 

Connor’s doe-brown eyes watched, absolutely captive, as a single flake of snow drifted just before him. Transfixed, he rose his hand, the skin retracting from his hands as the snow rested on it. His sensors tingled at the foreign touch, almost in a ticklish way, and Connor slowly let himself smile.

 

And Hank smiled too.

 

They stayed outside for way more than five minutes, that night.


End file.
